Dionne Rose, Parliamentary Reporter

Opposition Leader Bruce Golding comments on the so-called Hylton Report, copies of which were circulated in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Golding, who was speaking during the aborted debate to censure Jamaica Labour Party MP Karl Samuda, led a walkout by Opposition members. At right is JLP MP Ernie Smith. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

The Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), yesterday accused the governing People's National Party (PNP), of using state funds of up to $31 million from the Nigerian oil deal, to finance the party's annual conference last month.

But in a quick response last night, the Government denied the claims.

The allegations were made shortly after the Opposition members walked out of the House of Representatives during a censure motion debate brought against Karl Samuda, the JLP Member of Parliament for St. Andrew North Central.

Released findings

In a hastily-called press conference inside the Opposition's quarters at Gordon House, Mr. Golding released findings of transactions, which he said were made to an account in Jamaica known as CCOC Association, with Minister of Information Colin Campbell as one of the signatories on the account.

Mr. Golding said that two cheques totalling $30 million were issued payable to SW Services with both having the signatures of Mr. Campbell, in addition to the signatures of Phillip Paulwell, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Technology, Prakash Vaswani and Delano Barnett.

A third cheque for $465,000 drawn on the account of CCOC Association, was, according to Mr. Golding, made payable to Mr. Campbell.

Mr. Golding claimed that the cheques were deposited by Trafigura Beheer, an international company based in the Netherlands which was engaged to carry out the lifting and trading of oil from Nigera, on the country's behalf.

The oil deal with Nigeria was reportedly negotiated in the 1970s by the Michael Manley administration. The country is supposed to benefit from the proceeds of the sale of oil on the international market.

But Government member and PNP chairman, Robert Pickersgill, has denied the allegations.

"That is a mouthful of allegations and at the appropriate time the party will respond," he said.

Dr. Raymond Wright, formerly group managing director of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica, and now consultant, said he did not know of the allegations.

"I know nothing about these specific allegations. I have no information on it whatsoever. It seems to me very unusual," he said last night.

Meanwhile, Mr. Golding has called for the resignation of the entire government.

"This government has acquired immunity to scandals but there comes a time when enough is enough. That time has come! It is time for this wretched government to go. This one needs no commission of inquiry," he stated.